KELP-LIKE FEED PRODUCT FOR ABALONE

ALTHOUGH PRODUCTION OF ABALONE BY U.S. FARMERS IS INCREASING RAPIDLY, U.S. MANUFACTURERS DO NOTCURRENTLY PRODUCE A COMMERCIAL FEED FR THIS VALUABLE MOLLUSC. AT PRESENT, U.S. FARMERS DEPEND ON NATURAL PRODUCTION OF KELP HARVESTED FROM COASTAL WATERS. THIS DEPENDANCE ON PERISHABLE FEEDSTOCK IS INEFFICIENT AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING TO THE INDUSTRY. ARTIFICIAL ABALONE FEEDS PRODUCED IN JAPAN ARE COST-PROHIBITIVE IN THE U.S., AND EXPERIMENTAL FEEDS MADE BY CONVENTIONAL METHODS (EXTRUSION AND DRUM DRYING) RECEIVED MIXED RESULTS IN FEEDING TRIALS WITH INDIGENOUS ABALONE. WE PROPOSE TO RESEARCH A NEW TYPE OF FEED THAT PHYSICALLY RESEMBLES KELP BLADES AND IS EXPOSED TO RELATIVELY MILD CONDITIONS DURING PROCESSING. TO MANUFACTURE KELP-LIKE (KL) PROTOTYPES, WE WILL TEST A NEW THERMA GELATION AND VACUUM DRYING CONCEPT. WATER STABILITY, SHELF LIFE, AND NUTRIENT CONTENT OF KL PROTOTYPES WILL BE COMPARED TO THOSE OF PROTOTYPES MADE BY VACUUM DRUM DRYING AND PASTA-EXTRUSION TECHNIQUES. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE KL FEED WILL BE UNIQUELY DIFFERENT THAN CONVENTIONAL AQUACULTURE FEEDS AND WILL PROVIDE FUNCTIONAL, NUTRITIONAL, AND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OVER NATURAL KELP.